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CS92PROD
The Age of Nero
LAT 251
Fall 2010 not offered

Nero--artist or monster (or both)? This course will focus on the personality and politics of the emperor and the reaction he evoked in contemporary and subsequent accounts of his reign, concentrating especially on the powerful picture of Nero and the Neronian regime painted by the Roman historian Tacitus in his ANNALS, with supplementary evidence from Suetonius' LIFE OF NERO. Topics discussed will include Tacitus as a historian, dissimulation and theatricality in Neronian Rome, the world turned upside down--reversal of values in the period, the survival strategies of the Roman ruling classes, and how to die well. In connection with the last subject, we will read a few of Seneca's MORAL EPISTLES, giving a Stoic perspective on contemporary insecurities and the threat to identity and spiritual integrity they presented.

Essential Capabilities: None
Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: HA CLAS
Course Format: Lecture / DiscussionGrading Mode: Student Option
Level: UGRD Prerequisites: None
Fulfills a Requirement for: (CLST)

Last Updated on DEC-26-2024
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